Post by Food EDU

“The Good Food Fellows Program has been a transformative professional development opportunity that enables me to conduct meaningful research while building global connections within my field,” reflects Rupantri Raju, a 2024-2025 Good Food Fellow studying Biology at The University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji. During her fellowship, Rupantri explored how climate change is affecting native food systems in Fiji. Through community mapping, her research engaged local communities to document climate-resilient crops, traditional farming practices, and cultural knowledge connected to foods such as dalo, cassava, breadfruit, and yams. Her project also included market mapping across selected local and urban markets, helping build a clearer picture of how Indigenous Pacific foods are grown, accessed, prepared, and understood within cultural and nutritional contexts. Together, this work shows the value of connecting local knowledge, food systems research, and practical questions about human and planetary health. Rupantri’s training was supported by the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, one of the six PTFI Centers of Excellence. Learn more about Rupantri’s research and why she chose the Good Food Fellowship: https://bit.ly/4g34C6m #FoodSystems #Biodiversity #PlanetaryHealth